Over the past 40 years, many homeowners have begun to install extra insulation in their attics or crawlspaces in an effort to save money on heating bills. Typically, new construction is thoroughly insulated in accordance with applicable building codes and industry standards. A common form of insulation used by consumers and insulation contractors has been fiberglass insulation batts and blankets. However, insulation batts are relatively expensive and may require some cutting and shaping during installation.
More recently, the use of glass fiber blowing wool or loose-fill insulation has increased in popularity. Loose-fill, fiberglass insulation exists in many forms. Bonded and non-bonded loose-fill fiberglass are commonly used terms to describe loose-fill insulation products. Bonded loose-fill insulation is derived from blanket or batt insulation which has been made with a thermoset binder. It is produced by either pulverizing or cutting the blanket or batt insulation, compressing the resulting product and packaging it into bags. Non-bonded, loose-fill insulation comprises smaller nodules of traditional, straight, short fibers which are treated with a dedusting oil, compressed, and packaged into bags. Both bonded and non-bonded loose fill insulations can be installed in attics and sidewalls using a pneumatic blowing machine.
Loose-fill insulation is popular with insulation contractors because it can be easily and quickly applied in both new construction as well as in existing structures. Further, loose-fill insulation is a relatively low cost material. However, fiberglass loose-fill insulation is typically applied by contractors rather than homeowners because of the special blowing equipment needed. Such insulation is typically packaged in large bags weighing e.g., 25-35 lbs.
Cellulose loose-fill insulation is another type of insulation commonly used by consumers, which is formed from shredded, recycled newspapers. Cellulose insulation is desirable for installation by consumers as it is available in smaller packages and is less expensive than most other forms of loose-fill insulation. However, such insulation is dusty, dirty and difficult to blow properly, and also requires special blowing equipment to install.
When loose-fill insulations are pneumatically applied, they can be the source of dust and irritation for the installer. While dedusting oils are typically applied at the time of manufacture to control this dust, and the installers are advised to wear a dust mask and protective gear to reduce their exposure to dust, the effectiveness of these oils could be improved, especially when the oils are applied at low application rates (e.g., less than about 2% by weight).